Christmas The word Christmas means many different things to different people. Some people see Christmas as a religious holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, while others simply see it as a family holiday or a time to receive gifts. However, according to Miriam Webster Online Dictionary, Christmas is defined as, “ a Christian feast on December 25 or among some Eastern Orthodox Christians on January 7 that commemorates the birth of Christ and is usually observed as a legal holiday” (Mirriam Webster 2009). Therefore, in the American culture Christmas is both a religious holiday and a government ordained one, creating a problem with the separation of church and state as stated in the Constitution. Many Christians believe that the first Christmas occurred with the birth of their Messiah, Jesus Christ, in Bethlehem. According to the Bible, “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23”The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”—which means, “God with us” (Matthew 2009).Therefore the first Christmas was founded on the births of Christ. However, despite the religious importance of the birth of the Messiah, it was not an important celebration for the early church. “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church…[it was] omit[ted] from their lists of feasts; perhaps … that in the Scriptures sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthday” (Martindale 2008). Therefore the birth of Christ was not celebrated by Christians because they thought it would create a pagan holiday. Today, those religious authorities would be shocked to see how the American culture celebrates this holiday. The American culture has taken away the true meaning of Christmas, replacing Jesus Christ with Santa Claus. “On December 24, Christmas Eve, Santa hitches his eight reindeer to a sleigh and loads it with presents. The reindeer pull him and his sleigh through the sky to deliver presents to children all around the world, that is, if they had been good all year” (Celebrate 2005). When it comes to American culture, western society has taken the “Christ” out of Christmas. However, with Christmas being a legal holiday, the government line between church and state can become difficult. ” In the U.S., Christmas decorations at public buildings once commonly included Nativity scenes. This practice has led to many lawsuits, as groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union believe it amounts to the government endorsing a religion, which is prohibited by the United States Constitution. In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lynch vs. Donnelly that a Christmas display (which included a Nativity scene) owned and displayed by the city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island did not violate the First Amendment” (Wikipedia 2008). The struggle for different meanings
of Christmas is difficult, but with both religion and government, it can become
more difficult. Christians think that Christmas should celebrate the birth of
Christ, while Americans as a whole are shifting to more secular mascots such as
Santa Claus. Legally problems have erupted in the past and will continue in the
future over religious displays in government-owned facilities. However, Christmas will always be about the
birth of Jesus Christ, despite the lawsuits that have surfaced. Reference List
Celebrate! Holidays in the U.S.A. (2005). “Christmas Day (December 25)”. Embassy of the United States of America,http://www.usemb.se/HOLIDAYS/Celebrate/christma.html
Martindale, Cyrus Charles. 2008. “Christmas.” The Catholic Encyclopedia, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm
Matthew. 2009. “Passage Results: Matthew 1 (New International Version).” BibleGateway, http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=1&version=31
Miriam-Webster. 2009. “Christmas.” Miriam-Webster Online Dictionary, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/christmas.
Wikipedia. 2008. “Christmas.” The Free Encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas. |